Brothers
by emotionless-robot
Summary: One-shots and drabbles featuring Ken/Sam, TK/Matt and Jyou/Shuu/Shin. Now up - Fail: Failing a test was not accepted in the Kido household.
1. Picture

Just a quick, short drabble... normally I wouldn't post _just_ a drabble by itself, so... this might turn into a series of drabbles.

XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The room felt empty.

That was the first thing Ken noticed when he entered his brother's room. Only hours after the funeral and not even a week since his untimely death; already a fine layer of dust coated the surface of the bedroom.

No one had been in there since the accident… until now. Ken had come home early—eyes still swollen and bloodshot—only to find himself standing in the doorway of his now-deceased older brother's room.

He was clutching a photo frame, one with Sam's image in it, as he remarked several things simultaneously.

First, Sam's computer was still on, its humming sound thrumming throughout the room. Second, Sam's bed was unmade, which meant that he really shouldn't have had breakfast that morning because Mom always said that only good boys got to eat breakfast after they'd gotten dressed and made their bed.

Thirdly and lastly, most of Sam's textbooks were strewn across the computer desk and littered on the floor, indicating that the Ichijoji genius had been in the middle of a study session before…

Curious as to what Sam had been studying; Ken stepped forward and waded through the mess of notebooks, pens, heavy textbooks and calculators before hesitantly skimming his hand across an open book. His eyes traced the words across the page in wonderment at his brother's genius. He frowned at the words he didn't understand, but hurriedly snatched up a dictionary, determined to comprehend at the very least what the book was rambling about.

After much flipping through the reference book, Ken smiled a bit to himself. Now that he grasped all that technical jargon, this stuff wasn't so hard.

Taking one of Sam's pens (he knew it was his brother's because it was all chewed up on the end), Ken began solving equations and figuring out problems.

Before long, Sam's homework was done and Ken was really smiling for the first time in a week. He felt like now, there was a part of Sam with him—guiding him, helping him. Remembering what he'd brought into the room with him, Ken placed the framed photo on his brother's desk, and he decided that maybe this room didn't feel so empty after all.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!


	2. Soccer

Here is chapter number two!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

"Sam?" Ken called out, searching for his brother. His eyebrows knit together as he called out again, raising his voice slightly.

He still received no reply but simply continued poking his head around corners and through doorways. He finally stumbled across his older brother's figure, hunched over various papers and school books, writing furiously.

Ken watched the pen zoom across the page for a few minutes before asking once again, "Sam?"

Without glancing from the page, Sam asked Ken what he wanted.

Ken shuffled his socked feet as he whispered nervously, "Wanna play with me?"

Sam didn't even respond.

"Pretty please, Sam?" Ken begged. "We never get to play together anymore… you're always so busy. And we don't even have to play little kid games; we can play big boy games that you like!"

"Like what?" came the monotone reply.

"Like some of your video games, or soccer or… or something."

Sam glanced up from his work, contemplating the offer. He pushed his glasses up before responding, "Go get the soccer ball, kiddo."

Ken beamed at him before rushing off to fetch the ball. Sam smiled at his little brother's childish antics prior to shoving aside his homework to go play.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated... thanks!


	3. Detective

Sorry for the wait!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The eldest Ichijoji son calmly ventured from room to room, in search of his younger sibling. It didn't take him long to find Ken; most days now the small boy was locked up in his room, doing who-knows-what.

Pausing in front of the door, Sam listened through the miniscule crack to eavesdrop on Ken's activities. No audible sounds could be heard—maybe Ken was sleeping? No, he could hear something now… it sounded like… _humming? _What on earth was Ken doing in there?

Murmurs and hushed whispers were all that Sam could make out. It was time to take a closer look.

Without pause, the young genius opened to the door to his brother's room, causing Ken's activities to cease unexpectedly as he caught sight of Sam standing in his doorway.

"What are you doing, Ken?"

"Hiding under the bed."

"… _why?_"

"Because I'm playing detective, and detectives need to be able to hide really, really well."

"… so then explain to me why there's there lipstick on your face."

Ken blushed and rolled out from under his bed, exposing his overly-large trenchcoat, magnifying glass, and a drawn-on moustache using his mother's cosmetics.

"Just 'cause, alright?" Ken answered, avoiding his brother's gaze.

"Whatever. It's time for dinner."

Without another word, Sam left the room to go eat his supper, leaving Ken to wipe off the make-up by himself.

Before following his sibling though, Ken whispered to his stuffed animal, "Good work today, Mr. Bear. I do believe we've made a breakthrough with this case."

Then the light was shut off, and the room was left in darkness… until next time.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated... thanks!


	4. Grieving

Okay. Deep breath.

I just got back from some vacationing, hence the very late update. Right now I'm working on a fic that I want to finish writing before posting and it's taking some time... _*looks sadly at the pathetic draft*_

Either way, I'm going to keep up with the drabbles until I do get it finished. However, this will most likely be the last one involving Ken and Sam, because I'm going to start posting ones about TK and Matt (first one being up tomorrow). And with that said, I leave you all to it.

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

"Mommy?"

The middle-aged woman lifted her bloodshot, watery eyes to meet the gaze of her youngest--and now only--son.

"Come here, sweetie." she croaked, opening her arms to embrace the little boy.

As she rocked them back and forth, Ken asked her solemnly, "Are you still crying about Sam?"

A nod, along with a fresh wave of tears.

"Then why don't you just go visit him? You'll be happy again after that, right?"

His mother shook her head, smiling gently at her naïve son.

"Where is he anyways?"

"He's in a better place, Ken." She kissed the top of his head as he frowned.

"What was wrong with here?"

She simply chuckled sadly and told him to go back to bed. Before he rounded the corner though, Ken looked back.

"Don't worry, Mommy. You'll se Sam again one day."

And with that last remark, Ken shuffled back to his room, leaving his mother to whisper to herself, "I know, sweetie. I know."

* * *

Reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks!


	5. Camping

Here's the promised Matt & TK chapter... I'm not sure if I'm entirely through with Sam & Ken yet though...

**EDIT: Fixed up a few plot errors, pointed out by Aster Selene - Thank you!**

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

TK lifted up the long metal pole and dragged it over to his brother to ask, "Where does this one go?"

Matt turned to glare at TK. "Just be quiet, alright? I can't set up this tent with you bothering me every five minutes."

"I was only trying to help," the small boy muttered. He watched Matt hopelessly assemble the pieces of the tent in such a manner that it deformed the shape of the lightweight structure, thus rendering it uninhabitable by anyone.

All the other camp members, according to the camp instructor, had already finished setting their tents up without any problems like the ones Matt was encountering, much to the young boy's displeasure.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and then threw down the tenting equipment, frustrated and aggravated by such a simple task.

"This was a terrible idea. I can't believe Mom and Dad let you come to camp. All you're doing is sitting there and watching me make a fool of myself. This is the worst day of my life!"

TK grinned slyly at his brother's half-hearted complaints and replied, "Come on, Matt… I'm sure it'll be an adventure!"

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


	6. A Matter of Importance

This delay simply comes from starting up school again. Sorry for the wait. And I realise that this one is, once again, a Sam and Ken fic, but I just couldn't leave them alone XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

"Quit twitching, Ken. I can't sleep."

Sam's muted, monotone complain caused Ken to huff. It wasn't like he was _trying_ to move around—the blankets were scratchy and Sam's mattress was so _lumpy_.

In a fit of madness, their mother had decided that it was that time of year when all of the rooms in their house needed a fresh coat of paint. It was decided that while she slaved away in Ken's room, her youngest would be forced to sleep in the same bed as her eldest; a decision that was not exactly working according to plan.

Sam had the ability to fall asleep on command. Ken, on the other hand, could be heard two hours after he'd gone to bed, going to the bathroom or getting a glass of water. It was also during these times between hopping into bed and slumber that he spent mostly reading books or playing with his action figures. It was seldom a time when he lost conciousness as soon as his head touched the pillow. Now stuck in Sam's room, he didn't have any of his usual activities to occupy him and he was stranded in his brother's room doing _nothing_ while he waited for sleep to overtake his senses.

"For the last time, Ken," Sam's weary, dull voice said from the other side of the bed, "_stop moving around._"

"But it's hard!" Ken argued. "I can't fall asleep like you do, brother."

"Well, maybe if you'd calm down and quit kicking me in the back, you'd be able to fall asleep."

Ken sighed and curled over, facing his older brother, and tried to do as Sam had said. It was strange not wiggling his toes or shifting around on the bed or yanking the covers this way and that… it was quieter now, the only sound coming from their combined breathing and the mechanical clicks of the air-conditioning kicking on. Ken concentrated on the even patterns his breathing—in and out, in and out, _slowly, slowly, slowly_—until his mind had relaxed somewhat and his grip on the edge of the covers had loosened up. An owl might have hooted somewhere in the distance, but Ken was way too busy revelling in his new-found peace.

"… Would you _please_ stop breathing on my neck?"

Sam was no longer being patient. He turned over, glaring menacingly in the darkness (where the effect was somewhat muted) at Ken and praying, _praying_ that his little brother would stop bothering him and just _go to sleep already_.

Ken mumbled under his breath that Sam had ruined everything, but complied and turned to face the wall. They both settled again and normally this would be the part where Ken's legs would start to rub against the sheets and he might lift a hand to scratch an itch on his head. But not tonight; no, Sam would only be angrier if he did anything like that. Giving up, Ken became engrossed on shutting down his brain once more and entering that same calm he'd achieved before he'd been _rudely interrupted_.

The night wore on in its usual fashion, and eventually they both fell fast asleep on the lumpy, hard mattress with the scratchy, irritating covers wrapped around them. Side by side, the Ichijouji brothers slept.

* * *

It's not great, and I could have done more with it, but I'm just happy to finally be throwing something out there.

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


	7. Un Tolerable

I present a triple-update today to make up for my lack of updating in the past months.

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

When Matt was working, there were very few things he could stand.

He couldn't stand the heat of summer—_sans air conditioning_—making him sticky and gross from the sweat that clung to his skin persistently.

He couldn't stand the unforgiving and _loud_ noise of the traffic rumbling down on the streets below, with their toxic fumes just waiting for a chance to infiltrate and poison his lungs.

He also couldn't stand the indistinct mumblings coming from the apartment beside theirs because he could never make out what exactly they were saying, and that was just plain _annoying_.

He _hated_ when his dad decided to barge into his room for utterly pointless reasons like taking out the trash or asking where last week's newspaper had gone.

Sighing in defeat, Matt leaned back in his chair, fed up with all these things he had no control over. All he wanted was a cool breeze and some earplugs to block out the infuriating things that dared to disrupt him. A moment of silence came--_bliss_--but was soon interrupted by a new nuisance. In the other room, he could hear TK playing with his toy trains, making all the sounds that trains made when crashing and smashing into each other. The thought of his younger brother being so violent with his toys for once brought the tiniest smile to Matt's face and he decided that maybe, some things were tolerable after all.


	8. Show Time

Here's the second of three updates... the third one will be out shortly!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The first time TK went to one of his concerts, Matt had been a wreck. The whole week leading up to the event was filled with incessant practice—_it had to be perfect, dammit_—so much that his band mates couldn't stand to be in that same room for the rest of the month without feeling like they were trapped.

His nerves had gotten the best of him this time, it seemed. After all, it wasn't just _anyone_ coming to his concert. This was his _brother_, and that made it just that much more important than anything else.

Five hours away from show time, Matt had a panic attack while trying to get some food into his stomach, which caused a scene at the restaurant as a horde of old ladies converged on him and tried to perform abdominal thrusts to his person while still carrying around their little handbags full of cat food. Matt had only just escaped by roughly swallowing down the piece of burger that'd been choking him with some water and then rushing out of the restaurant in a hurry. A scary time in his life, and one he had no reason to want to repeat. _Ever_.

Now it was time to put on his game face, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to do it. It was ridiculous, getting this worked up over something as small as having his brother come to one of his concerts, but he just couldn't help himself from sweating nervously and jittering constantly. If he'd had his way, he would've sat on that chair all night long, but his generous band mates pushed and shoved him out onto the stage, where the bright lights blinded him and he couldn't see a damn thing anyways.

The concert went on as planned and only when he was exiting the stage did Matt's nervousness come back and hit him like a ferocious blow to the stomach--_and he'd had enough of those from the old ladies, thank you very much_—so it wasn't unexpected for him to book it out of there like a hot little potato and go hide out in his car until TK showed up.

And show up he did. The passenger door opened and TK climbed in, smiling in his usual fashion. Matt wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing at this point. He tried to smile back, but failed even at doing such a simple thing.

"What's wrong?" TK asked him, with a slight worried frown adorning his face.

Matt replied, embarrassed by his emotions, "I just… um… wanted to know what you thought of the concert. You know, if it was lame or whatever. That's okay if you think that 'cause you're my brother and all, but you'd better not tell anyone otherwise I'll kick your ass. I can't have you going around telling everyone that it was crap, you know?" Matt trailed off, a growing concern blooming as he took in the utterly confused and frustrated look TK was sporting.

The younger of the two was frowning now even more, staring at Matt. Just staring. It was rather unnerving, truth be told. TK then rummaged around in the glove box, pulling out some paper and a pen. He carefully wrote something down, then passed it to Matt, who read:

_**I didn't hear a thing you just said. I think the music was too loud...**_

Matt groaned and hit his head against the steering wheel. This was the outcome of spilling his guts, was it? It had to be a joke, it just had to. There was no way he got emotional and mushy for the first time, only to have it count for nothing.

TK stole the pad of paper back and carefully wrote something else, then threw it in Matt's lap. Matt's heart thumped happily and he almost passed out from the relief he felt when he read:

_**By the way, I really liked the concert.**_


	9. TV

This is the last update for today. Hopefully it made up for my awful non-updating phase. I _will_ try my best to keep updating as much as I can. This drabble was written at the Digi-Challenge Forum, where we've started a new kind of weekly challenge, so thanks to Nina for inspiring this one!!

Disclaimer on profile.

And remember - reviews are always appreciated!!

* * *

"Whatcha watching, Matt?"

"Something you can't watch. Go away, TK."

TK pouted, "Why can't I watch it? It doesn't look like anything bad."

"You just can't, kiddo," Matt sighed, "it's not for your age group."

The younger of the two huffed angrily and left, still pouting.

-------------

Two weeks later, Matt came into the living room, seeing that TK was watching some silly cartoon about dinosaurs and sat on the couch beside his brother.

"Uh, you can't watch this, Matt. _It's not for your age group_."


	10. Bus

Here is the next chapter. It's a bit different, I think, but hopefully you'll understand what's going on...** HINT: It's still Matt & TK.**

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

It was sad, she decided after a week of watching. It was unfortunate and cruel that such a young boy was as depressed as he was. The bus driver pulled up to the school, letting her charges walk off in rush, each adding to the babble of voices assaulting the untainted morning air. All, except the one boy whose head was down and whose body language screamed unbearable sadness.

She had been driving him for two years now. Two years of knowledge and two years worth of insight to know that this young boy was not a happy child. His unusual behaviour had begun growing serious just the other week. First, he'd started sitting near the front, where none of his classmates were willing to sit with him. Then, he stopped smiling at her when she greeted him in the mornings. That was the moment when she'd known for sure that something was definitely wrong with the young boy... and it was also when she realised that there was nothing she could say or do to make it better.

Later that day, after she picked up the young boy from school and had pulled up beside his stop, she watched in silence as he stomped down the bus stairs, head down, and out onto the sidewalk where an even younger boy was waiting for him.

At that precise moment when he noticed the little boy's presence, a smile exploded on his face as she had never seen before - such a welcoming smile - and the image of the two of them, grinning at each other unabashedly was a memory she never forgot over the years. Hand in hand with the little boy, the one she had driven back and forth for the past couple of years walked home, his complacent smile never wavering.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!


	11. Betrayal Part One

Hello, dear readers. I present to you now, in celebration of my coming birthday, a three-part mini-story. It is once again based around TK and Matt, and although it has nothing to do with birthdays or celebrations at all, I am very excited to be getting this out there ASAP. The next part should be up within the next few days; look out for it!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

TK refused to answer the phone. He lay on the sofa, eyes glued to the ceiling and stubbornly avoiding the person who had been calling him repeatedly for the better part of the last hour and a half.

The answering machine clicked on again and TK's eyes finally closed. He listened to the pleading, the uncomfortable silence--the caller knew he was there; where else would he be except at home--and TK almost laughed feverishly at the mere thought of himself being the one with the upper hand for once.

Throughout his life, his brother had always been the one in charge. If Matt said it was too cold to go play outside, then TK shuffled back to his room and read a book. If Matt wanted the last cookie, well, Matt usually got the last cookie (because generally speaking, he was the one who'd made them in the first place). And if Matt's opinion clashed with TK's, then the eldest made sure he was the one who had the final say.

It had always been like that. TK hadn't minded. He knew that, in a way, Matt was protecting him and he liked that characteristic of their relationship. It felt nice to know that someone was hell-bent on keeping you safe. But this, this had crossed a line. What Matt had done... TK shook his head just thinking about it. There wasn't anything Matt could say that would make things go back to the way they had been.

Maybe... _maybe_ if Matt had told him beforehand. If he'd divulged his plans to his little brother, then this wouldn't have been such a shock and there wouldn't have been a reason for this uncomfortable anger between the two of them. TK was mad because Matt had kept such a huge secret from him and Matt, TK knew, was starting to get pissed that his younger brother wasn't answering the phone when he called.

The boy sighed as, once more, the telephone rang down the hall. Was he overreacting and letting his instinctual emotions take over? Probably. But he didn't want to deal with Matt's sure-fire reasoning at the moment. His older sibling always had a valid reason for doing whatever he did; he wasn't the type of person that rushed into potentially risky things without thinking it through thoroughly. That said, he also wasn't the kind of person that would stab someone in the back while they weren't looking.

Or so TK had thought.

The whole problem had started just the other day, when TK came home to find a note from Matt waiting in the mailbox. It was addressed to both him and his mother, but she wouldn't be home for a while, so TK opened the envelope and read what was inside. He could still recall the shocking jolt of astonishment and sense of betrayal as he realised that Matt--foolish, idiotic Matt--had moved away.

Yes, _moved away._

The note said something about trying a different city out for a while--a city no less than two hours away--and that he'd call when he got there to let them know how he was doing. Also, he was getting some of his buddies to help him ship his stuff to his new apartment, so Mom didn't need to worry about any of that.

TK had shut himself up in his room for the rest of the night and ignored his mother's voice down the hall as she chatted with his callous, insensitive wimp of a brother who didn't have the balls to say to his face that he'd be moving. _She_ seemed happy enough, seeing her first-born son forging his own path through life, but didn't she want to know why he hadn't told them earlier? Wouldn't that have been the nicer, more appropriate thing to do in these circumstances? TK barely saw Matt as it was--maybe once or twice a week--and now, with Matt moving, he'd see him even less… once a month, if he was lucky. But those weren't the kind of odds he was really excited about.

TK rolled over on the comfy couch, embracing the silence now that the phone had finally stopped ringing. His gut twisted and writhed at the guilt he felt for purposely ignoring Matt. His loneliness, though, overpowered that pesky remorse easily. He could foresee the future now: himself, eating blueberry pancakes (a Sunday morning ritual him and his brother shared) all by himself. And of course, no one to go to the local bookstore with who would unconditionally understand his need to slurp a steaming cup of hot chocolate while browsing the selection of titles. Their bond was strong, no doubt about that, but would it survive the distance that separated them now? Or would telephones and computers make it easier to talk to each other? Perhaps, instead, technology would not work in their favour and would only hinder how strong their bond _could_ be. Seeing each other, face-to-face, was the only way TK could imagine communicating with his brother. He liked telling his brother about his crappy day and _watching_ as the sympathy played out on Matt's face. And TK loved making his brother smile, best of all. It just wasn't the same when a filter of technology was there between them.

Which was exactly why TK refused to pick up the phone. If Matt wanted to talk to him so badly, he could bloody well drive back here and say it to him in person. The upset boy got the feeling that unless his brother said it to his face—that he was leaving and that this decision meant he wouldn't be able to make it to all of TK's basketball games anymore, despite how much he wanted to—TK wouldn't be able to fully accept the situation they were both in.

Socked feet hit the floor as TK sat up abruptly and walked over to his bedroom. He felt tired; exhausted by the emotional turmoil he faced in the coming days as he knew he would. Trying to come to terms with Matt's choice to depart without letting him know beforehand was going to be hard to handle (especially with Matt not actually there to help him through it). TK needed sleep and he needed to think about how drastically this would change his life—for better or worse. Plus, TK was ninety-nine percent sure that he desperately wanted to run back to that machine he'd been hating on for the past hour and simply call Matt just to listen to his voice plead and argue.

But he understood himself well enough to know that he couldn't handle the emotions attached to those actions at the moment. No matter how much Matt thought he had protected TK by keeping him from the truth, the youngest brother knew that it had been the absolute _wrong_ choice. It hurt more now—the ache of not being trusted enough to handle such a gigantic secret stabbed TK fiercely—and this wasn't something that Matt could fix with pretty little words and hollow promises of coming to see him every other week.

_Everything had changed._

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


	12. Betrayal Part Two

Here's the second part... hope you enjoy! Next: the confrontation.

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Matt did eventually decide to find out how his little brother was handling the news. He felt positively terrible for dumping something like that unexpectedly onto TK's shoulders, but it really couldn't be helped. An opportunity to grab an apartment place had popped up and Matt, after debating whether or not he should go for it, went for it. It had been time to get out of his home town; time for something brand new and hopefully, something a tad more exciting. Matt wasn't unhappy with where he was now, but he'd always craved having something else, something to call his own. There was more to the story, but when presented with that chance, it hadn't been a very difficult decision.

The hard part about it was, admittedly, leaving TK behind. The guy deserved better than some crappy note left in the mailbox, Matt knew, but he was being slightly chicken about the whole thing. It came down to the fact that he didn't know what TK would think. The part that scared him the most was that if his little brother had told him straight up that he didn't want Matt leaving, Matt would've stayed. Absolutely for sure, no questions asked. It was terrifying to have a sudden revelation, realising that someone held that much power over him. If it had been his mom or dad, he probably would've defied their wishes and gone ahead with it anyways. If Tai or Sora had expressed an interest in him keeping his feet firmly planted where they were, he might've considered it. But with TK... there would _not _have been any deliberation. Whatever TK sought, Matt couldn't help but want to give.

And that led him to making a semi-hasty decision. Did he want to go? Yes. Did he want to deal with a potential obstruction to his desire? No. Hence, he'd skipped town ASAP with his buddies, luggage in tow and not a clue how he would deal with everything he'd left behind.

Matt put off the problem long enough to get settled in his new home—infinite boxes and packaging as his house-warming company--before he took out his cell phone and dialled his mother's house. She answered; they chatted. He got the feeling that if he'd told her beforehand, she wouldn't have had any objections. His dad hadn't either, for that matter. It had been a simple affair of dropping by the TV station, calmly informing his father that he was moving out, and that was that. No hassle and no lingering farewell. That, for Matt, was extraordinarily ideal. If only his mother had the same habits…

When she'd finished regaling him of tales from her own youth, he asked if he could speak with TK. His mother gave a short pause, and then hurriedly told him that TK was out with a friend and oh, the pot of water was boiling so she had to go now and would talk to him later.

Matt had stared at the dial tone, brow furrowing at his mother's obvious lies. So, TK was avoiding him, was he? Well, Matt would sort that out soon enough.

* * *

The next day, and the day after that, his phone bill grew to an unhealthy size due to his incessant calling. He only ever called during times when he knew TK would be home alone--couldn't have Mom thinking he was missing home or something crazy like that--but no one answered, despite his persistency. Eventually, it grew too tiring to listen to the ringing over and over again. He just wanted to explain things to TK and get this bump in their relationship sorted out. It... _hurt_... knowing he was the kind of person that lacked a decent amount of courage. A lack of courage that, ultimately, hurt his brother deeply enough to warrant this kind of reaction. He hadn't thought TK was this upset. But that only showed how well he knew his brother, right?

To keep himself from running back home right then and there, Matt spent his time searching for a job--and finally getting one--just to cement his position in the new town (and to keep his bank account from being depleted). With his new place set up, and a steady job waiting for him, Matt figured it was about time he faced TK's wrath as well as facing the consequences he'd been studiously avoiding.

The drive back was relatively uneventful. He passed landmarks he'd noticed on the way in--a dead rabbit on the side of the road, some fir trees on lawns still decorated in tinsel, even though it was July already--and he thought about what he'd say to TK once he got there. _"Hi, how've you been? Sorry I didn't tell you before I left, but I just didn't want to talk to you about it"?_ No... that most definitely would not do. He needed to use sensible logic to get through to his younger brother; anything less would only enrage TK further. Logic had been easy for Matt all his life. He liked solving problems, and logical solutions were the only ones he ever thought of. However, that didn't mean he was a whiz at it or anything. After all, he wasn't quite as obstinate as Tai, who believed that he was _always_ right, no matter what, but he wasn't like Sora either, who assessed all situations with an objective eye and based her reactions on that. No, he fell somwhere in the middle, he supposed. And the _logical_ answer right now was that his coming actions were going to either solve the spat between the two brothers, or it would put an even greater strain on their relationship. Their arguments so far had extended to who chose what movie they watched and how much chocolate should be put in the chocolate chip cookies. Matt's departure was their toughest hurdle yet, and it would be an utter miracle if they came out unscathed and still in a semi-working relationship.

Matt loved his brother enough to want to fix this, but did his brother love _him_ enough to forgive him?

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


	13. Betrayal Part Three

The last chapter, for you. Hope you liked this mini-story... I certainly enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The eldest brother showed up at TK's apartment, swinging his keys around his finger. He nervously approached the elevator--should he take it or should he just take the stairs? On one hand, taking the elevator meant he'd reach his destination faster, but it also meant that should the elevator break down, he might be stuck (perhaps with people, even) for who knew how long until someone came to rescue them. By which point Matt would probably have lost his nerve and not want to be anywhere near this place. The stairs, on the other hand, ensured a relatively safe means of getting to the floor he needed, providing exercise at the same time. It would take longer than the elevator (barring any unfortunate break-downs) but maybe that was alright.

Finally decided, Matt swerved to the stairs and lightly padded his way up them, counting his steps and growing more and more anxious the higher up he went. He was almost too familiar with this building and its occupants. There was the old gentleman who only shuffled down the hallway sideways, and the young lady on the third floor who had a different track suit for every day of the week. Matt passed by a family heading out for Sunday brunch, like they always did, and his fingers glanced over the door that led to the building's exercise room--the only room entirely covered in dust.

He smiled faintly, recalling all these small details that made this place feel more like home than he ever thought his new apartment could. Would he ever get to know the new city like he knew this one? Would he eventually find a restaurant that he liked, a Laundromat that was in working condition, and a movie theatre that wasn't too expensive? Doubt plagued the torn boy. There was so much in his hometown that was comfortable and known. What appeal did something entirely new and grand have to him in the end?

These thoughts weren't helping in the least. It was as if both TK and the building were teaming up to rebel against his choice. He tried to think back to why he moved out in the first place... something to do with having his own space and... that other reason. But, couldn't he have his own space here, too? Have his own apartment, but stay in the city that he'd known for years? Had he been too hasty in purchasing that apartment and getting that job? All these questions and no answers. Now Matt had responsibilities in his new life--responsibilities that did not look quite as appealing as they had six hours ago.

Frustrated and annoyed with his lack of commitment, Matt stomped up to the door of his mother's apartment and knocked rapidly. Soft footsteps approached and unlocked the deadbolt, turned the handle and opened the door. TK's head popped out to see who it was, but his welcoming face was snatched back when he saw who it was standing there.

"What do you want?"

"I just want to talk to you." Matt replied, sighing and running a hand through his hair. "Come for a walk with me."

TK didn't nod, but let the door go, leaving it ajar slightly and slipping on his shoes. Matt was glad he didn't refuse--he needed to get out of this building and he needed to get away from these people that haunted his thoughts. The brothers walked in silence. Matt had no idea where to start and TK wasn't about to start pouring out his feelings without a decent explanation first. The awkward silence stretched on, extending until they reached the park they used to frequent, back when they'd been smaller and much more innocent. TK sat down on the bench first, facing the wide, open green space. A chilly wind blew, but was blocked for the most part by the trees surrounding the enclosed bench. The silence stayed, and both brothers waited for the standstill to be broken.

* * *

He should've brought his jacket, at least. TK shivered lightly, his body trying to fight off the coldness of the breeze. He watched Matt out of the corner of his eye, noticing how his older brother fiddled with his graduation ring, signalling how ill at ease he was with the situation. TK nearly snorted at the thought of being the one to rectify that. No way was he going to be the one to talk first. He'd waited long enough for a decent explanation and damn, he was going to get one _right now._

Sure enough, within a few moments Matt said, "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

Good start, but TK wanted more than that. He wanted to know _why_ Matt had to get away from this city and _why_ he hadn't told TK. An apology was not going to cut it.

The elder of the two exhaled sharply and let his head fall into his hands. "I didn't mean for it to end up this way, okay? I don't have a plan now and I didn't back when I decided to move. I just… felt like it was time to try something new. To try out a new city, with new people and new _everything_. I wish I could take you with me, TK, you know that. But I doubt Mom would let me." His face twisted to the side long enough for TK to glimpse the half-grin on his face. "I don't… I don't know whether I made the right choice or not. I may end up regretting this for the rest of my life, but TK, I couldn't pass it up. I had to see if I could make it by myself for a while, without anyone there to help me."

"But I _want_ to be able to help you. And I can't when you're so far away." TK complained, growing frustrated by how pointless Matt's argument was.

He seemed to be convincing himself more than he was convincing TK. What exactly was the point in moving away without knowing whether or not you were really ready for it? Whatever happened to non-impulsive Matt?

"It's not that. I want you to be near me, of course. I was thinking about it, on my way to see you. I kept asking myself why on Earth I thought it was a good idea to pack up and leave. And you know what, I kept thinking about one of the reasons I left and how I didn't really want to tell you, because it's kind of lame. But I do now, TK. I took this opportunity for a reason—and a valid one at that."

"What?" TK asked impatiently. Couldn't he get to his point already? This was ridiculous…

"I... I wanted to move away so that by the time you're ready to move away, I have enough experience with that kind of stuff to help _you_. I know you want to help me, but that isn't the point of this whole thing. I want to be there for _you_ when you decide that this city isn't what you want anymore. I want to help you pack all your things and help you find an apartment that isn't totally shitty. I want to be there when you get accepted to college and I'll even pick you up from your first day, just so I can be the first one to ask you how it went."

TK sat flabbergasted, mouth shut as he waited for more words to pour out of Matt's motoring mouth.

"There wasn't any other way I could think of that would make me feel like I was doing my job as an older brother to you. I had to get out there and know enough about the world to make sure you didn't fall into any holes. I don't want to mess that up. It's my responsibility, right? So, I'm going to stay at my new place and I'll come see as often as I can and then one day, you'll come to me and say 'Matt, I need your help.' And then I'll know that I made the right choice, TK, because there's nothing I want more than to be the one you come to for help."

The silence was even more awkward now—what were you supposed to say after a speech like that? TK wanted to say how much he appreciated Matt's thoughtfulness, his courage to face that dark unknown without fear, and most of all he wanted to hug his brother and never let go. It was overwhelming, finding out that someone would go to those lengths just to make you happy. TK had never felt this sensation before. The bond he shared with his brother could only grow stronger after this, undoubtedly. He couldn't hold Matt back; and he was more than ecstatic to wait for that day Matt envisioned. The day when Matt would reach out his hand and pull TK up to where he was, effortlessly. Like when they'd been children and Matt would help TK back to his feet when he'd fallen down. TK was silly to worry about Matt, though, because Matt didn't need someone to pull him up. He was well-balanced, and had no chance of falling anyways.

TK's voice floated through the air, releasing the tension with his soft-spoken words, "Okay. I trust you enough to do this."

Matt looked up, hardly believing this. He'd gotten off without a shouting match? He'd expected a furious TK—_an unreasonable TK_—and here he was presented with a calm, collected young individual that took his explanation rationally and better yet, was okay with it.

"Really?" he asked.

"Of course. I… I want to be able to lean on you for support, like you mentioned. I don't want to have to do it alone. And you won't have to either, you know. I am only a phone call away."

Matt smiled elatedly and replied, "You'll do fine, I think. And I know you're only a phone call away. But that only works when you actually _pick up the phone_, you know."

Standing, TK chuckled and gave him a sheepish look. Matt couldn't help but stare; would this boy really need his help when it came to it? Here he was, already mature enough to handle this situation smoothly and strongly enough to know that he'd be okay without Matt there all the time. But, like all relationships, helping each other went both ways. Perhaps TK didn't need help getting through this, but would need help with something else in the future. Matt would make sure he was there, ready for action. But this time, it was Matt who needed a helping hand to assist him through the changes he'd made.

And as TK reached out a hand to pull him up from the bench, Matt knew that he'd make it through, with his brother right beside him.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!!


	14. Compromise

Here you have the next chapter... my Matt and TK streak is winding down, and I'm gearing up for the next set of brothers - which will be Joe and his brother(s). Also, I'm planning a spin-off series of drabbles to incorporate Tai and Kari, who are not actually brothers and therefore shouldn't (in my eyes) be placed under this title. Until the next one, then.

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Matt yawned and trudged his way to the kitchen, where TK was in the process of making toast for breakfast. He slumped down into the chair at the table, eyes drooping and hair mussed. He perked up a bit once his jam-slathered piece of bread landed in front of him, but was still wishing he'd stayed in bed for just a bit longer.

"What kind of juice do you want, Matt?" TK asked, peering at him from behind the fridge door.

"Apple, please."

He yawned again, eyes closing and thus missing the look of disgust TK had planted on his face.

"That's gross," he judged, pouring himself a glass or orange juice. "Orange is the only way to go."

Matt stared at him incredulously. Was this kid serious? There was no way any relative of his actually enjoyed drinking that horrendous acid-flavoured crap.

"TK, have you ever tried apple juice?"

"Matt, have you ever tried orange juice?" TK shot back.

"Yeah, I have, and I almost puked... except I didn't have to because the juice tasted like I already had."

His younger brother frowned in dismay and shook his head, sighing, "You poor soul. How can you not like orange juice?"

Matt mumbled something incoherent--were they really arguing about something this pointless at this time in the morning? He slurped his apple juice, enjoying the crisp flavour as his brother gulped the orange beverage much the same way. He caught TK's eye and they had a silent staring contest, waiting for the other to break.

It was TK who finally did, going back to the fridge and pulling out the two kinds of drinks once again. He grabbed Matt's cup from his hands and set it on the counter beside his and turned his back towards Matt, blocking the older boy's view.

Within a few moments, Matt's cup was back where it had been before, in his hand, and he was staring down at the strange mixture presented before him: a combination of apple and orange juice. He sipped at it warily, immediately noting that while it still tasted like orange juice, the apple flavouring toned it down immensely, and the product was almost... enjoyable.

He gave TK a small smile, who automatically beamed in return and announced, "See? A compromise."

* * *

Reviews are appreciated... thanks!


	15. Synergy

With this next drabble, I have officially archived 100,000+ words here on this site. XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The two brothers had the same idea at the same time, and immediately began initiating wordless communication to sort out the details of how they would execute the plan. There was only one sure-fire way, and they knew they'd have to stick to it faithfully if they wanted to complete it as painlessly as possible. It wasn't nearly a last resort--it was merely the only thing TK and Matt _could_ do to get themselves out of this mess. It was time to face it: they had had enough, and this fiasco was destined to end _now_.

First, TK hid the beeping, singing toy behind the couch, causing a chorus of shrieks and wails. Then, Matt came running in from the kitchen, panting from exertion, arms loaded with bottles of warm milk. The brothers worked quickly to shove said bottles into eager, screaming mouths without getting their fingers bitten off or hair pulled out in great chunks that took weeks of painful humiliation to grow back. The crying halted as soon as the magical powers the bottles possessed came into effect, _thankfully_. TK then snuck to the other side of the room stealthily to turn on the radio. He searched frantically for a quiet, relaxing classical station, and kept it there while Matt threw blankets over the close-to-slumbering bodies of the babies.

The second half of their genius plan involved not moving, _no matter what_. It was crucial that they stayed perfectly still and not make _any_ sounds or movements that would catch the attention of their charges. It took a while, but soon the brothers could hear soft snores, signalling the success of their plan. They sighed in unison, then moved out of their cramped positions, soundlessly sneaking down the hallway to the den.

Once there, TK slumped to the floor and groaned quietly, "Why on earth did you decide to have children?"

Matt simply shook his head silently.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!


	16. A Disagreement of Sorts

I'm currently working on a very nice, very long one-shot challenge, which will take a while to edit, so I can't promise any more chapters soon. Hopefully this will tide you over, but in the meantime - the companion fic to this one, entitled _Siblings_ is up and running. Perhaps you would like to take a look at it, no?

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

TK huffed in a silent manner once more, turning his back towards his persistent and incredibly annoying older brother.

Matt was here for the same reason he'd been here last time: to complain unnecessarily about something that he thought TK was responsible for.

"Listen, Matt," TK argued for the fifth time, "I can't do anything about it. It's already been published."

"Can't you make like, an afterword or whatever? Anything to undo the _tradgedy_ you've committed?"

Another sigh, another growl of frustration.

"I don't see what the problem is. You've admitted it yourself—you were a _jerk_ to everyone."

"That doesn't mean I want THE WHOLE WORLD TO KNOW!" Matt's angry voice thundered, making TK cringe at the loud decibels he produced.

Wasn't there a better way to solve this than making his delicate china rattle from all the yelling? Couldn't Matt just accept that it was done for creativity's sake?

"I will not accept this, TK. You wrote in those books that I was nothing but a jerk to everyone during our time in the Digital World. You made me look like some dumb, anti-social guy who was hated by the vast majority of EVERYONE!"

"Once again, Matt, you have become the best at what you do—_exaggerate. _I didn't only write about how much you disliked the others, and how much they disliked you. All I did was incorporate and expand on that fact in the storyline so it became more apparent to readers how much you changed throughout the course of the story. If you'd read the whole book, instead of just the first few chapters, you'd know this."

Now Matt was the one huffing and turning his back on his brother. TK grinned at his victory, trying not to cackle at Matt's uneasy acknowledgement of the truth.

"Whatever," he finally spat out, "but this doesn't mean we're done. I'm still going to get you back for this, TK." As he packed up and walked towards the door, Matt added, "And for the record, _buddy_, you failed to mention how much of a total brat you were."

TK slammed the door as he walked out, cursing his brother for his unnervingly accurate statement.

* * *

Ah, the woes of Matt.

Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!


	17. Out of Reach

This'll probably be the last Matt/TK drabble for awhile...

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Matt lit up another cigarette, still sitting on the balcony outside his apartment. He'd been there for the better part of the past five hours, watching the night creep up on the city. The door slid open behind him, and Sora stepped through, gently closing the sliding glass and walking up to her husband to comfort him.

"You should come inside," Sora pleaded, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "It's getting cold out and the kids are worried about you."

Matt simply took another drag of his cigarette, then asked, "Did they call?"

Sora nodded. "Twice. I told them you'd gone to bed early, but they always seem to know when I'm lying."

"I'll be in soon."

"I always know when _you're_ lying, too. I'm bringing you inside before you fall asleep out here and get frostbite. Besides, you need to stop smoking. At this rate, you'll..." She trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"Wind up dead before my time?" Matt finished the sentence for her sarcastically, trying to bite back the swell of emotion that rose up in his chest.

She whispered, "Yeah..." in his ear and leaned forward, tears falling from her eyes and dampening his cheeks.

By this point, Matt couldn't tell whether he was crying or not. He'd done so much of it in the past week that it seemed as though he'd been crying non-stop since the day he was born. If only... if only it hadn't turned out this way. It wasn't supposed to, at least. He should've been the one to kick the bucket first; not TK. That was the most depressing part—the fact that now he had to live without his younger brother in his life. It wasn't something Matt ever pictured himself doing, and it certainly was not something he was looking forward to.

Imagine, being only sixty-four and already wishing you could leave this planet for good. Matt had been looking forward to retirement for _years_ now. He'd planned on vacationing everywhere, visiting family and friends and spending time with Sora—just the two of them. But now a heavy black cloud hung over his head in the wake of TK's untimely death. The funeral had been earlier that day and it had left Matt in this pathetic state—desolate, depressed and smoking his life down the drain.

Watching the night time sky from his balcony made him feel better and worse all at once; better, because it was so beautiful and that was where TK belonged, but worse because it was so far away and out of reach. Even if he went out to space again at this very moment, he'd still be light years away from his brother.

Wrinkled, cold hands came to rest upon Sora's as sobs shook Matt's body and hot tears made their way across his saddened cheeks.

_One day…_ _I'll see you again, TK. Wait for me._

* * *

Reviews are appreciated. Thanks.


	18. Puzzle

This AN is going to turn out longer than the chapter itself...

My challenge with these three (Jyou, Shin and Shuu) is that I don't know a whole lot about their dynamic. I've been scouring the 'net for info, but so far have very little to go on. Which is why I'm asking you, dear readers, to give me any tidbits _you_ might know in regards to Shin and Shuu's personalities, hobbies, whatever. I have an idea of how I want to tackle the upcoming chapters, but if at any point you notice that I'm completely off in my interpretation of their characters, feel free to point it out and correct me. That said, I hope you enjoy the chapter XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The puzzle was nearly complete; only a few more pieces to go. As the three brothers began filling in the blank spots on that lazy Sunday afternoon, the picture they were assembling finally came together.

It was a wild, colourful panorama of scenic marine life. Jyou, who had spent the better part of the past two hours scouring for pieces of a clown fish's tail, yawned widely and very carefully slid his chunk of the puzzle into place. Shin calmly helped his four-year-old brother and gave him a gentle smile as Shuu snapped the very last blue square into its allotted gap—right between the starfish and the shark.

They started at it for a moment, before Jyou went off in search of a snack and the two older siblings returned to their bedrooms, leaving the finished jigsaw on display until it was torn apart and they could put it back together once more.


	19. Just the Beginning

Due to school starting up again, updates will be further apart than usual. Sorry!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

It began with some hushed murmuring, leading up finally to cross voices and harsh tones. Jyou wasn't sure what his brothers were talking about, but it certainly was making them angry. He tried listening in to their conversation, but his attention kept getting caught and ensnared by the family of birds bathing in the fountain next to them. Splashing around and fluttering their wings as they got clean, the birds implanted in Jyou's mind the urge to go swimming at the pool.

"Can we go swimming today?" he pleaded to his brothers, returning his attention to them.

Neither Shin nor Shuu seemed to notice Jyou's inquiry. Shin was shaking his head slowly at whatever Shuu had said earlier. Their desolate expressions were so out of place in the wide, open park that Jyou felt like he was in a weird dream, where nothing was as you expected it to be.

He tried asking again, this time louder.

Shuu turned to him and replied, "Maybe some other time, Jyou. We're discussing something right now."

"What are you talking about?" he wondered, swinging his legs and probing his older brothers with curious eyes.

Shin chuckled, "Something called 'a father's expectations'."

Shuu hit him in the arm, grinning slightly as Jyou continued to be left in the dark.

"It's nothing important," Shuu consoled, "we're just complaining to each other, that's all."

Jyou didn't pick up on _what_ they were complaining about, but instead remarked, "If it's not _that_ important, can we _please_ go swimming? I really want to!"

Both Shin and Shuu burst into laughter, agreeing with giggles that yes, they could go to the pool now.

Jyou was too young at that moment to fully understand what 'a father's expectations' meant, but would surely find out in the coming years…

* * *

Reviews are appreciated, thanks!


	20. Halloween

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Jyou liked to follow his brothers in whatever they did. If they wanted to go to the park, Jyou followed. If they snuck into the kitchen to grab a snack, Jyou trailed behind them like a lost puppy. And if Shin and Shuu got excited about Halloween, then that meant Jyou was excited too.

"What are you going to dress up as?" he asked them every year, always curious to see what they could come up with.

"A pirate," Shin said.

"A monster," Shuu told him.

Jyou often looked through their photo albums to look at what Shin and Shuu had dressed as in previous years. One year, they were both zombies. Another, cowboys. They gave Jyou so many ideas that by the time Halloween came around, he would have ended up as a cross between fifteen different things if it weren't for his mother abolishing that habit.

He told his brothers, "I don't know what I want to be this year," and they smiled a knowing smile at their younger brother.

"That's the magic of Halloween, Jyou," they said to him, "you can be whatever you want!"

* * *

Reviews are appreciated... thanks!


	21. New Year

**Hope everyone had lovely holidays, and is enjoying the new year!  
(Sorry this is so late... DX)**

**Disclaimer on profile.**

* * *

"We made it through another year," Shuu sighed, gazing at the sunrise.

"Yeah…" Shin agreed, thoroughly entranced as well.

The three brothers had snuck out of bed early enough to catch the sun just as it was peeking over the horizon. The year before they had slept through it, but Shin had been smart enough to set an alarm. After all, the New Year was especially important and they wouldn't want to miss it.

Jyou failed to see the meaning behind watching the sun rise—he saw it on television all the time, anyways—but he was glad to be with his brothers. They looked so peaceful, they were practically glowing!

Of course, that was just the sun, but Jyou chuckled to himself because of his joke.

"What's so funny, mister?" Shin asked, amused by Jyou's giggles.

Jyou answered evasively, "Nothing…" then continued to laugh softly.

Shuu smiled and patted his youngest sibling's head, then threw his arm around Shin and said sadly, "Do you think we'll make it through this year without getting kicked out of the house?"

"Probably not. But I wouldn't worry about that now—we have a few more hours before our parents wake up and find us sneaking around the house like thieves."

Shuu laughed loudly, as the sun finally rose completely, bathing the brothers in the light of a new year.

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated! Thanks.**


	22. Grave

**This is a Ken/Sam drabble I must've forgotten to post...**

**Disclaimer on profile.**

* * *

The colourful bouquet of flowers held in Ken's hands trembled in the harsh wind that swept through the deserted graveyard. It was nearing sunset, but these days his parents weren't too concerned about what time he got home—they were still grieving over Sam's untimely death.

That's all anyone seemed to care about these days. _The death of the boy genius._ No one asked about the younger brother who loved Sam more than anyone. No one cared that he was even more upset and angry than those raging fangirls… or even his own parents. His parents had lost a son, yes, but more importantly to them, they had lost a source of pride in the family and apparently Ken just didn't make the cut as a replacement for them. He could never substitute the Ichijouji prodigy…

Ken had lost a brother—the person he went to when he was feeling down, the one that made everything bad seem just that much bit better. If Ken looked up to anyone, it was Sam.

All he wanted right now was to be comforted by the one who understood him best… but most of all; he just wanted his big brother back.

Tears slipped down Ken's face as he gently placed the bouquet on his brother's new and polished grave. He would have liked to sit down and share all of his pent-up feelings with the empty graveyard, but what use would that be? He felt like Sam was a million and a half miles away.

His sigh was captured by the wind and whisked away as he turned from the source of his misery and left the cold, cruel grave of his hero.

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!**


	23. Fail

**Sorry for the wait. Enjoy.**

* * *

There were no excuses; only reasons that counted for nothing because they could have been avoided.

Failing a test was not accepted in the Kido household. It was seen as the absolute worst, lowest place a person could be. And Shin was in that place now.

He was confined to his room; Jyou and Shuu were forbidden from visiting him, talking to him, looking at him, thinking about him. It was frustrating and created an atmosphere tenser than a stretched elastic band. Their father sat menacingly at the kitchen table, shuffling his way through the newspaper and huffing every one in a while, just to prove that he was still displeased and couldn't bear the thought of one of his children _failing a test_.

Shuu ushered Jyou into the bathroom discreetly sometime later, making sure that their father was distracted enough not to notice their absence.

"Want to tell Shin something?" he asked with a sly grin.

Jyou took the piece of paper and the crayon, not quite sure what they were doing, but wrote _Hello_ anyways. Shuu folded the paper carefully, then with a twist of his wrist and a bit of pulling, managed to slide off the cover for the vent. He proceeded to slide the slip of paper through the other side of the vent, where it landed with a whisper on the floor of Shin's bedroom.

Moments later, the paper came back with a smiley face. And for the rest of the afternoon, the three boys passed notes back and forth, easing the tension in the house and learning that defiance was truly the most fun they could have.

* * *

**Reviews are appreciated. Thanks!**


End file.
